Myanmar celebrates National Day

Ambassador Win Naing of Myanmar welcomed hundreds of guests to a reception held in a local hotel in connection with the National Day of his country last week.

Ghulam Murtaza Khan Jatoi, the minister for industries and production, was the chief guest.

In his speech, Ambassador Naing said Burma-Myanmar had had excellent relations with Pakistan, including common borders with East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) since 1947. The two nations have had embassies in each other country since 1988.

Earlier, PIA operated flights to Yangon and today it has special Haj flights.

“In future, I hope our commercial cooperation can be developed further,” said Naing.

“I am glad that Myanmar is solidly on its way away from the military rule to democracy,” said a former Pakistani diplomat. His wife added that she was very proud of Aung San Suu Kyi, who has now become head of the government.

“We need women role models like her in our time.”

Farewell and welcome

Irshadullah Khan of Oxbridge Society hosted a farewell dinner for three outgoing envoys and one incoming ambassador last week. Hirsohi Inomata of Japan is going after a relatively short time of two-and-a-half years.

“That is a good while,” said the ambassador, adding: “But not if compared to the Argentine ambassador, Rodolofo Martin Saravia, who has been here for 12 years.”

Martin Saravia was one of the guests for whom the farewell dinner was held. “But I still have a couple of months more,” added Martin Saravia, who is also the dean of the Diplomatic Corps.

British High Commissioner Philip Barton is also leaving after about two years in Pakistan. The host said he had recently come to know of his departure.

“Changes in postings are all at the discretion of the government at home,” said Inomata, adding his fate would be announced on Tuesday.

The event was also in honour of an incoming ambassador, Mehhdi Honardoost from Iran. He was seated next to the host’s wife, Hooshiullah Khan, whose ancestors were from Iran.

On a serious note, the host stressed the important role of the military in Pakistan. He and the envoys also stressed the key role of the civilian, democratically-elected government in the country’s future development.

The dinner ended by offering gifts to the outgoing and the incoming envoys.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2016